Lets try and keep this thread on track with what it was originally about and not deteriorate into a debate of what is and isn't a hot rod. I have seen that conversation more times than I can count, and would like to remind you of the dictionary definition of hot rod.

Hot Rod - n. an automobile specially built or altered for fast acceleration and increased speed.

This is a varied culture, and it is my understanding that we don't discriminate at HotRodders.com. If you try and start telling people their cars don't count unless they are 40s or older, you alienate a TON of good and knowledgeable people, myself included. Everyone is free to their own opinion on what cars are the best, and honestly, I would love to see more of the current generation interested in cars in general. Actually interested in making them faster, produce more power, and handle better by doing something more involved than hooking up a computer or buying a performance chip.

Most people's first car is going to be determined by their budget first and foremost and their preference a distant second. Depending on where you grow up, you likely need a car that can actually get you to school and back and to work and back every day, which means buying a car in reasonably working condition. That gets tougher and tougher to do the older the car you look for. Not to mention insuring these things. Hell, I still have trouble finding an insurance company that will actually cover the GTO without asking for 6 months salary in return. And to be honest, all these cars are obsolete. They are still great fun and awesome looking, but technologically, you can't avoid the fact that they are obsolete. In my opinion, that is half the reason I like my car so much. I can work on my car without plugging in a laptop. Its a mechanical machine, with minor electronics in a supporting role and I love it.

It changes how you live your life when the only car you own is 40 years old. It takes away some of your control over your life, and you never know what is around the corner. It makes life an adventure, and for those of us that have chosen that path, we wouldn't change it for the world. Trying to explain that to someone that doesn't get it is futile. So, in my opinion, we should welcome any new members we get into the hot rod world with open minds regardless of our personal opinions about the car they call their hot rod.

I don't want to start anything here but someone should go back and read the posts or re-read them.

First off this is the lounge, subjects do get going off subject sometimes. No harm no foul.
Second we were not having a debate over the years of what was a hot rod. I had said IMO or JMO several times. I believe I said people can call their cars what they want. But lets be clear the term Hot Rod was used before most of the cars that people call Hot rods were made, it was used for cars that were made in the 30' and 40's. Don't forget there are customs ,street machines muscle cars then DD

I don't mind being called out if I get called out on a engine thread, or a body thread, or any of the threads like that if We get off subject, but I think the lounge, it's like we are sitting in are shop shooting the bull, it is just talk.

Garrell or I did get off subject a little, but if you go back and read the posts we sure weren't getting on each other, and it was Garrell thread. If he thought it was way off, read his Threads he keeps people to the subject.

I have never talked to you or seen your posts, I don't know if you are a new Mod or a old one, If you are new IMO you need to think a little before you call someone out. I would have done this in a PM. but you didn't so I didn't either, Don't mean to hurt your feelings, I have been called out before And I maybe had it coming, but I just took it and went on< but this one I think was out of line. I'm not one to hold back so there you have it.

Hey guys this was "What did you drive" NOT why don't you drive what I drive. I think maybe the defination of a hotrod may have changed over the last 50 yrs. maybe it is any car that you personalize, whether with speed equipment, or customize, or restore to original condition and whether you race it show it or just rub the paint off polishing it. I have really enjoyed reading about the interesting variety of rides all of you drove. Lets lighten up and not try to force what we like on someone else, maybe a new thread who likes spinach or cheese burgers?

I wasn't trying to call anyone out. The thread took a turn away from discussing first cars and there were several posts that could have very easily led to a flame war over what cars count and what cars don't. That is a topic I have seen argued about more times than I care to count. The goal of my original post was to try and keep that from happening and remind everyone here that we are all on the same team, so there is no need to fight over our cars.

Croz, I hope that was understood in my last post, everyone has different taste in all things and especially with their rides. No one is right or wrong, I don't even look down on the poor Mustang owners, they have rights too.

Hope everyone knows I was kidding, lets all lighten up a little and enjoy.

'95 nissan altima gxe. i modded it out with LED's and speakers. it was mine and i paid 4,000 for it with some help from family. then years later after learning about oil seeping into optical distributors and timing chains, flat tires, slipping transmissions i inherited a mazda mx-6 from a friend, tried to soup it up and thunked myself in the head sold the mazda and bought an 81 camaro for 700 bucks, running on 6 of 8 cyl! i learned a lot from that lil altima and it lasted me 8 years, the odometer stopped working at 195,000 miles and i drove it for another 4 yrs after that with no major problems. we nick named it the "altimate driving experience"!

1952 Buick 2 door sedan,bought it with money I made working at the KAYO station in Daytona,circa 1965.
Paid 100 bucks for it,put in a new battery,changed oil n drove it till i gaduated,lots of good memories in that big back seat

Hey guys this was "What did you drive" NOT why don't you drive what I drive. I think maybe the defination of a hotrod may have changed over the last 50 yrs. maybe it is any car that you personalize, whether with speed equipment, or customize, or restore to original condition and whether you race it show it or just rub the paint off polishing it. I have really enjoyed reading about the interesting variety of rides all of you drove. Lets lighten up and not try to force what we like on someone else, maybe a new thread who likes spinach or cheese burgers?

Garrell

I like spinach AND cheese burgers.

Listen guys, threads go off in different directions, anyone who can't handle that really needs to rethink how he spends his time. It ain't no big deal, geeez.

Hello, i figure i would contribute. In 95 when i was 16 i bought an 81 Camaro for $200 that needed a good amount of body work and a carb. Fixed it up and sold it to buy the first car i drove, an 84 Monte Carlo.
I sold the Monte to buy an 84 regal for $400 and drove that until the engine was rod knocking (still drive it for 2 months with the knock, motor honey keeping her going).
I yanked the 231 6 cyl in favor of a Pontiac 350 from a 71 lemans. Bolted right in, same drive shaft just needed custom exhaust. Had this car for a few years before getting into my first grand national.

first was a 4door 66 tempest.. with ohc 6 and frame rot.. nover hit road
next was a 66 lemans 2 door..326/2spd. thinking I could use the good of both to make one.. high school kids have time but not enough money.. that was a fun car tho..
next was my grandma's 74 duster inline slant , it did great burn outs..next was a 80 sunbird, then 75 cutlass 260/3spd, then a 80 t/a 301/3spd

next was an 85 t/a 305/stick this car was fun.. but my drivers lic. payed for it in steps/points..

I graduated HS in 1987 and My high school car was a 57 chevy 210 4-door that my Grandfather bought for us to restore when I was 11 years old. It had a 283 punched out to 301 with a 2-barrel and a glide. I could race it and never shift it in a red light shoot out. It was my daily driver and weekend show car/drag car. This was back when 4-drs were very much hated. I loved that car...Till I drove it out to California where I was stationed and learned very quickly how not to drive on "black ice" . Somebody soulda told me that it snows in southern California that way I woulda been ready for it.

Wow, in High School, changing cars was like changing socks. Something different all the time. My first was a 63 1/2 Galaxie, then a '64 Galaxie, then a '66 Cyclone, traded it for a '66 GTO, bought a '57 Fairlane, then bought a '66 Impala. Got married in '74 and the cars slowed down quite a bit

OT- That's a name I haven't seen in a LONG time! We had a Kayo and a Cargo right cheek to jowl to each other on HW 441 in Kissimmee, FL years ago. They had a gas way and the cheapest gas I ever bought as a licensed driver was there- 24.9¢/Gallon.

They also sold "re refined" motor oil out of glass bottles. Had a tin funnel on it to pour with then you put the bottle back in the rack when you were done. They refilled the glass jars from a 55 gallon drum.

Hey Cobalt327, good to read from you. I am still working hard on my recovery but have had a few setbacks recently. My landspeed racing plans are coming together and getting ready to run in the first ever Ohio Mile at the end of April.
How is the wagon project coming along?

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